OREGON PETS

Animals, animal shelter and adoption news

I wrote a column last week about fabulous gifts for the four-footed family members. Not all the great ideas can fit into one column, so between now and Christmas I'll be pointing out some other cool gifts for pets and pet-lovers on your list.

If you love hand-made, local products, check out craft fairs, especially the Portland Saturday Market. The Saturday Market has seven regular vendors who specialize in pet gifts.

Continue reading "Looking for a great pet gift? Think Portland Saturday Market" »

Every cat wants a Home for the Holidays.

Anne-Marie is looking for Santa to bring her a family where she will be cherished and loved.

Here's her list - check it twice - and you'll want to be nice and bring her home:

• She does need to be the only cat in the home.
• She loves to play with a laser light.

Continue reading "Anne-Marie wants a Home for the Holidays" »

I swore last week that I wasn't going to write about pit bulls again. I wrote a blog about pit bulls being, well, dogs. I thought I'd said everything I had to say.

Then the Editorial Board stunned me with their editorial in Sunday's paper recommending that all pit bulls should automatically be declared "potentially dangerous dogs" under Oregon law.

Continue reading "My opinion: Oregonian Editorial Board is wrong about dog bite remedy" »

Don't shop, ADOPT!

• Black 'CAT' Friday Adoption Special
• 50% off regular adoption fees!
• Celebrate the Beginning of the Holiday Season with a New Kitty Companion

After a hectic morning shopping for all those Black Friday deals, stop by the Cat Adoption Team for some soothing kitty companionship. In honor of "Black Friday", the Cat Adoption Team is offering a very special adoption gift for all our black or mostly black cats.

Continue reading "Black CAT Friday weekend adoption special" »

Mmmmm. Turkey.

That's what your dog is thinking today. Us too. But especially your dog. I'm not a fan of feeding at the table - we NEVER do that. I hate a begging dog. But, I also hate leftovers most days. I know its not going to be the popular opinion but I think giving people food to your dog IN MODERATION is a great idea.

Continue reading "Thanksgiving and your dog" »

I woke up early this morning, Black Friday, excited with the prospect not of finding bargains in the stores but of all the adopters finding their perfect match this weekend at the shelter.

The Cat Adoption Team is offering it's own after-Thanksgiving promotion: Black CAT Friday adoption weekend.

Continue reading "Black CAT Friday" »

I love this! JibJab lets you make your own holiday videos -- putting your head (or in this case, my four pets' heads) on a holiday dance number. It's very easy to do, and endlessly hilarious.

(I'm sorry if the picture quality is a bit fuzzy. The original on JibJab is clearer; it lost a bit in the translation to YouTube.)

Continue reading "Holiday greetings from the pets" »

On Thanksgiving Day I think all of us take a moment to be grateful for our families and friends. I'm lucky to have a wonderful family, full of people who truly like and love each other.

I have friends that I've stayed in touch with since childhood.

I also have something else: I have my friends I talk to every week in my column -- and five days a week in this blog.

Continue reading "I'll be woofing with some of you on Saturday" »

I love the cool notes I get from readers. This week, I got this suggestion:

Have a dog? Save newspaper delivery bags -- they make great poop pickup bags. It's a green use for a common landfill item.

Continue reading "Think green - use those plastic Oregonian bags for good purposes" »

I am everything you could want in the beagle - and more! I am friendly and cute and love to follow my nose, that's what us hound dogs do! I really like people, though, and I already know some commands.

You'll want to keep me on a leash and a secure backyard so I don't wander off. I mean, who can resist following the scent of a squirrel?

Continue reading "I am bo-daciously chubby and handsome and (Arrroooo) fun!" »

A couple of weekends ago, I was curled up on the couch quietly reading.

Mack was contentedly sleeping in his pick bed at the end of the chaise.

And that's when I heard it. Little cat snores.

Now they are not log sawing, ear piercing snores. They are, however, audible when the TV is quiet or conversation lapses.

Continue reading "Mack snores" »

There was another report of a pit bull attack last night. That's in addition to the Happy Valley dog that bit a girl and her father last week.

I am hesitant to write about this. After all, I've written about pit bulls before. I felt I wrote all I had to say in a big piece I wrote in August of 2007. However, a lot of people have asked me to speak up -- again.

Continue reading "Pit bulls: Dogs or monsters?" »